Hat-block.



W. H. BENNETT.

HAT BLOCK.

APPLICATION FJLED FEB. 15.1918.

1,283,637. Patented Nov. 5,1918.

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-' dering them more the. cavity surrounding the central man1puwItLrAM'n. BENNETT, or vrcronm, isnrrisiiiconunnrn, CANADA.

HAT-BLOCK ToaZZ ohom it may concern: I V

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM I-I. BEN,

NETT, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Victorla, '111 the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have .invented.

certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Blocks, of which the following is a V specification.

This invention relates to a hat block such as is used for forming and working-a felt hat-on, and to the rest block or spinner on which the same is rotatably supported.

These blocks are usually made of hardwood and in-such material are subject to several objections beyond their cost. Their bulk being considerable, unless very carefully seasoned, they are subject. to warpageand splitting. Further, as they cannot be hollowed out in any reat extent without renliable to warp and split,

lating handle is usually too small to afford a convenient hold, and the weight of the heavy block is fatiguing to the operator.

These objections are overcome in the construction, which is the subject of this application, by for'ming the block as a thin shell molded in a plastic material which hardens on setting into a strong non-absorbent structure, and by providing a suflicient handle within the ample hollow of the block and connected to the crown thereof, thus providing a light, strong hat block which is easily manipulated and which is notsubject to sensible variation under atmospheric changes.

Instead of supporting this hollow. hat block on the rest block in the usual manner with a central pivot, the rest block is constructed ofsimilar material to the hat block and has a circular projection which fits the circular mouth of the hollow of the hat block, so that it may be freely and steadily rotated on the rest block. 7

The rim block and its support are similarly constructed to have the same advantages of lightness and strength.

The invention is fully described in the fol- Specification of Letters Patent; PatentedNov, 1918,

Application filed February 15, 1918. Serial No. 217,419. I '7 Fig. 3 is aninverted plan showing the underside of the hat block.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section onthe line 3"* l on Fig. 3. In the drawings herewith 2 represents the 7 body of the hat block which is molded to the required size and form of a plastic cement composed of a fibrous material mixed with Portland cement or the like and water. It

is molded with an ample cavity or hollow 3, and on a metal base ring 4, preferably I of non-corrodible thin sheet metal, having an inner and an outer upwardly turned flange 5 to protect the corners. ring at is effectively keyed to the cement by projections 6 which may be either pins secured in and upwardly projecting from the 7 base ring, or if, as preferred, of thin sheet metal, these upwardly projecting key portions maybe sheared and upwardly turned This base from the base ring, as shown inthe drawing.

The central handle 7 is molded of the same fibrous cement-on a stem 8 of. twisted other end are bent, as shown at 10,'and

embedded: in the cement of the hat block body. 7 s

The rest block 11 is circular in form and I hollowed as shown,'with a metal :ring '12 formed with a circular projection to fit the circular aperture of the hat block base ring-4.

Inwardly projecting from the mouth ring 12 of the rest block is alip 18 to facilitate handling, and the metal ring 12 has projections, 14- stamped and inwardly bent from it to afliord a securing hold in the cement and to reinforce the lip 13.

The block on which the rim of the hat is i worked, and its rest block, not illustrated, are made of the same fibrous cement, the

V latter being hollow "for lightness and to.- r

wooden blocks at present used in hat manufacture and provide a steadier base for rotation.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. A hot block and its supporting rest block each composed of a relatively thin wall of a fibrous cement composition, the hat block spring from a metal base ring having a circular aperture communicating with the cavity of the hat block and having provision for bonding it to the fibrous cement composition of the wall, said hat block having a central handle with a metal stem expanded in the handle at one end and in the wall of the hat block at the other, the rest block having a projection fitting the aperture of the base ring of the hat block.

2. A hat block and its supporting rest block, each composed of a relatively thin wall of a fibrous cement composition, the hat block springing from a metal base ring having a circular aperture comnumicating with the cavity of the hat block, the edges of the base ring being upwardly turned to protect the corners and having provision for bonding it to the fibrous cement composition of the wall, said hat block having a central handle with a stem composed of wires which are outwardly bent and embedded in the cement of the wall, the rest block having a projection fitting the aperture of the base ring of the hat block.

3. A hat block and its supporting rest block, each composed of a relatively thin wall of a fibrous cement composition, the hat block springing from a metal base ring having a circular aperture con'nnunicating with the cavity of the hat block, the edges of the base ring being upwardly turned to protect the corners and having provision for bonding it to the fibrous cement composition of the wall, said hat block having a central handle with a stem composed of wires which are outwardly bent and embedded in the cement of the wall, the rest block having a shoulderedv metal projection fitting the aperture of the basering of the hat block with provision for bonding it to the wall of the rest block.

at. A hat block and its supporting rest block, each composed of a fibrous cement composition enabling them to be hollowed out to a relatively thin wall, the hat block built upon an oval metal base ring having a circular aperture communicating with the cavity of the hat block, the edges of the base ring being turned upward to protect the corners and having provision for bonding it to the composition of the walls, said hat block having a central handle within the cavity of the same composition with a stem composed of wires the upper ends of which are outwardly bentand embedded in the composition of the walls, the rest block having a shouldered circular projection fitting the circular aperture of the base ring of the hat block, the shouldered projection having an external ring of metal to protect the corners with provision for bonding it to the composition.

5. A hat block and its supporting rest block, each composed of a relatively thin wall of a fibrous cement composition, the hat block built upon a metal base ring having a circular aperture communicating with the cavity of the hat block, the edges of the base ring being upwardly turned to protect the corners and having provision for bonding it to the fibrous cement composition of the walls, said hat block having a central handle of the same composition with a stem composed of twisted wires the upper ends of which are outwardly bent and embedded in the composition of the walls, the rest block having a shouldered circular projection fitting the circular aperture of the base ring of the hat block, the shouldered projection having an external ring of metal to protect the corners with provision for bonding it to the cement and an inwardly projecting lip surrounding the aperture comnunicating with the cavity to facilitate handling.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

WILLIAM H. BENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. O. 

